Len, I hope you know I don't really think Arlo is a vampire and, even if I did, it wouldn't mean I was expressing a value judgment on his lifestyle in and of itself. It was just my mind taking one statement entirely out of context and leading itself to one possible conclusion.

Sarah Palin is a character, yes, but I fear she distracts the good people who worry her from more important problems. Like Anita Bryant, Gary Hart, Dan Quayle and so many others, her 15 minutes of fame will pass soon enough.

KN, I had not thought of Oprah; that was myopic of me -- probably a result of the fact that I don't actually watch Oprah (nothing against her, just not my interest). How about Rachel Maddow's show, though?

There are some gods as to which I am agnostic, and apathetically so, although not a member of the UCTAA (http://www.uctaa.net/) -- there are, though, people who self-describe as "faithful" agnostics. Other gods I just have no use for. The one I like best is the one that doesn't exist.

Eileen wrote:

"there are, though, people who self-describe as "faithful" agnostics. Other gods I just have no use for. The one I like best is the one that doesn't exist."


Quantum physicists, with their fascinating blend of science and philosophy tell us that when you reach the fundamental "essence" of energy, nothing exists, but that's where all the action is. Oh yeah, and also at that same level, everything exists. A "rabbit hole" of infinite possibilities.
I guess what I 'm trying to say is that "god" is an idea, a speck of consciousness. It had to come up sooner or later....when a concept like "god" arises, the concept of "non-god" can't be far behind and visa versa.
No wonder agnostics are filled with so much uncertainty!
I think Arlo and Rachel Maddow would have a great time, but when I suggested Opra, I was feeling a little bit silly because I got this image of how the interview might be really hilarious. Opra seems so serious, and tends to focus on the sensational, and, lets face it, Opra is not exactly an intellectual giant. Leaving plenty of room for Arlo to do what he does best......being Arlo in the clear and present moment.

It's past 11pm in Ohio and I should be resting up to pay for some more bailout tomorrow, but this thread sure does get a person thinking... And since the US is 1/305 millionth mine (and falling), maybe now's the time to do something.

Here's my aberrations when I think about our current situation:
#1. You can't borrow your way out of debt, as my grandpa always said. And the bailout was supposed to keep us from hitting bottom, now, we don't know where the bottom is at. I can find my way from the bottom better than in mid-air.
#2. Many of our health woes are self-inflicted. There's TV spots for heart medication right after watching the Burger King commercial while eating Pringles. We wanted more doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies because magically in the last couple decades we couldn't function with allergies, heartburn, and achy joints. Ride through it and stop paying these people, they're getting exactly what their accountants want.
#3. If you fail at regulating something (multiple-times), how are more regulations going to help?

I like Arlo's thoughts. Problem is, people who talk reality and want to fix stuff don't get elected; we all want to be entertained when a candidate speaks, not solve problems. We decide who to hire as the nation's CEO no different than picking the winner of American Idol.

What should we do? Demand Change. From ourselves and each other. Let's stop feeling helpless and try to put a dent in things, what the heck...

(oh and sorry for messing up the agnostic debate, check out Shermer and Lennox, they're pretty good at duking it out)...

KN, It's all a bit silly, isn't it? There's also "Ellen" -- she and Arlo could dance together, and Seth Green could walk out and make them stop.

Have you seen "Mindwalk"? Liv Ullman, Sam Waterston and John Heard walk around Mont St Michel, France, talking about the nothingness that is everything. I loved it -- kinda "What the *@)( do we know?" but without the annoying CGI.

Speaking of backward masking. On my honeymoon in 1986, Mike & I stopped by a mall in Richlands, VA when we were going thru the Grundy, VA area. We bought a cassette tape of the Monkees in a record store. The silly thing played backwards lol. You haven't lived until you've heard Hey Hey We're The Monkees backwards lol. So we had to go back to the store & take it back & exchange for one that was right...

You mean, he's NOT the Host here?

The monsters amongst us is us. Watch the news feeds of the crowds shouting at each other at the health press conferences.

len, those are "Town Hall Meetings", not press conferences, and the crowds that are doing the shouting aren't "us" at all, unless you consider paid shills planted by obstructionists to be "us".

mikey

I know about the organized mobs, Mikey. This sort of mau-mau has been popular for awhile.

They is us alright. For you, it's about the political parties organizing the events. For me, it is about cultures that allow organized mobs to drown out conversation. It is Anti-Conversation. This is The Conversation vs The Show. That relationship is asymetrical. The Show is winning.

Is a show organized to disrupt free speech itself free speech?

That question is more interesting to me than which particular organization is sending a mob. The other question is just more shouting at the moment.

Bush threw the shouters out when they were doing this during his campaign rallies. McCain and Palin refused to do that. Obama supporters muscled shouters. Then McCain supporters did the same.

Is this pattern acceptable? Is this how we intend to react to any proposition we don't like? Is that reasonable?

just to keep track, since this is post #158 on this thread, at 2 cents apiece, we are up $2.16 worth of opinion.

Now it's $2.20. At today's prices, accounting for inflation, I consider it a great bargain......one of the best values around!!! Lots of BANG for my blunderbucks......

Before you know it, it will be $4.20. Then it will all make sense.

Says who? I'm pretty certain that nobody knows for certain. And if you claim to be then you're either a liar, a fanatic, self-delusional or any combination of the aforementioned. You want uncertainty? Look at all of the major religions. They can't even agree amongst themselves so, they form their own little branched off sects. As far as I'm concerned, Agnostics are leaving the door open while the ones who claim to know "The Way" are slamming it in the faces of any who don't agree with them.

Politics and religion. The two subjects people try to but seldom seem to be able to avoid. Both as full of delusions as "The Emperor's New Clothes".

I'm in total agreement with you Zap......I was making an attempt at smartassism with that quote. Clearly, folks who are certain of "god's" non-existance are in the same boat as those who are certain of "god's" existance. I believe that the only thing 100% certain in this world is uncertainty. I see no paradox within that concept.